View source for Erki Nool

{{Short description|Estonian decathlete and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Erki Nool
| image = IRL Erki Nool.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| fullname = Erki Nool
| caption = Nool in 2011
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|6|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Võru]], [[Estonia]]
| country = {{flagcountry|Estonia}}
| height = 1.84 m
| weight = 84 kg
| sport = [[Track and field]]
| event = [[Decathlon]]
| pb = 8815 '''[[List of Estonian records in athletics|NR]]''' ([[Edmonton]] 2001)<ref name="iltalehti"/>
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{flagicon|Estonia}}[[Estonia]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Olympic Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]] | [[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[2001 World Championships in Athletics|2001 Edmonton]] | [[2001 World Championships in Athletics – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | World Indoor Championships }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1997 Paris Bercy]] | Heptathlon }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1999 Maebashi]] | Heptathlon }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1998 European Championships in Athletics|1998 Budapest]] | [[1998 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[2002 European Championships in Athletics|2002 Munich]] | [[2002 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[European Indoor Championships in Athletics|European Indoor Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1996 European Indoor Championships in Athletics|1996 Stockholm]] | Heptathlon }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2000 European Indoor Athletics Championships|2000 Ghent]] | Heptathlon }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2002 European Indoor Athletics Championships|2002 Wien]] | Heptathlon }}
}}

'''Erki Nool''' (born 25 June 1970) is an [[Estonia]]n retired [[Decathlon|decathlete]] and former [[politician]].

==Life and career==
Nool was born on 25 June 1970 in [[Võru]]. He grew up in an impoverished environment in the southern part of Võru. His father was a worker in a furniture factory and his mother was in charge of the finances of a school. There were six children, with Erki the third youngest. When he was 13, from the suggestion of his father he moved to a sports-focused [[boarding school]], where he could eat a free warm meal three times a day.<ref name="iltalehti">{{cite news |last=Silvennoinen |first=Santtu |title=Kun köyhä Erki rantautui Suomeen, KGB oli kintereillä – tamperelaisen rakennusmestarin upea teko sai itkun silmään: "Virolaisia luultiin varkaiksi" |url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/yleisurheilu/a/f303e776-da4d-4ed6-8616-f15a87b46971 |access-date=25 June 2020 |work=Iltalehti |date=25 June 2020}}</ref>

In those days the economy was in a poor condition. When traveling to over-seas competitions, they didn't get their own cabin in the cruise ship, but instead just slept in the hallways and then competed and trained the next day. They also didn't have indoor athletics training facilities for winter. Nool was brought to tears when he was gifted a new, pristine pair of sneakers. <!-- Getting to eat [[yogurt]] every morning was also new and memorable. --><ref name="iltalehti"/>

After Estonia became independent on 20 August 1991, Nool was vocal about his dream of competing in the Olympics as part of the Estonian team. He took part in the [[1992 Summer Olympics|Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics]] decathlon but he ended up having to stop and pull out.<ref name="iltalehti"/> Little by little he developed and by the mid-1990s he was among the top athletes in decathlon.<ref name="iltalehti"/> In September 1997 he <!-- established the first private athletics school in Estonia. -->founded his own sports club and in 1998–2009 he organized international decathlon competition "Reval Hotels Cup".<ref name="esbl" />

When he won gold for decathlon at the [[1998 European Athletics Championships|1998 Budapest European Championships]], he became a sports hero. Two years later, when he won the [[gold medal]] for decathlon in the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in [[Sydney]], he became a national hero.<ref name="iltalehti"/> Although Nool did not place first in any individual event, his total score was the highest. There was a dramatic moment in [[discus throw]], but luckily the competition referee decided to over-rule a judge, who had red-flagged his last and only valid attempt due to alleged step-out. The reinstatement of his 43.66-metre third throw sparked unsuccessful counter-protests from other teams. Nool took gold ahead of the [[czech Republic|Czech]] [[Roman Šebrle]] and [[United States of America|American]] [[Chris Huffins]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sport.err.ee/1140297/tana-20-aastat-tagasi-tuli-erki-nool-sydney-olumpiavoitjaks|title=Täna 20 aastat tagasi tuli Erki Nool Sydney olümpiavõitjaks|date=28 September 2020|website=ERR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ekjl.ee/uudised/tana-20-aastat-tagasi-erki-nool-tuli-sydney-olumpiavoitjaks/|title=Täna 20 aastat tagasi: Erki Nool tuli Sydney olümpiavõitjaks|date=28 September 2020|website=Eesti Kergejõustikuliit}}</ref>

He has been voted as Estonia's sexiest man and in the 2000s the most popular Estonian.<ref name="iltalehti"/> In 2006, Nool participated as a celebrity contestant on the [[Tantsud tähtedega 2006|first season]] of ''[[Tantsud tähtedega]]'', an Estonian version of ''[[Dancing with the Stars]]''. His professional dancing partner was Ave Vardja.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 November 2006 |title=Nool ja Vardja langesid tantsusaatest välja |url=https://www.postimees.ee/1600387/nool-ja-vardja-langesid-tantsusaatest-valja |website=Postimees}}</ref>

In 2005–2017, Erki Nool was the Vice Chairman of the [[European Olympic Committees|EOC]] Athletes Commission and 2007–2011 member of the [[European Athletics]] Development Committee. 2008–2012, he was also member of the executive committee of the [[Estonian Olympic Committee]].<ref name=esbl>{{Cite web |title=Erki Nool's sports biography |url=https://esbl.ee/biograafia/Erki_Nool |access-date= |website=esbl.ee}}</ref>

On 4 March 2007, Nool was elected to the Estonian Parliament, the ''[[Riigikogu]]'', representing the [[Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.riigikogu.ee/?page=isikukaart&op=ems&pid=72887|title=Erki Nool politician career on Riigikogu.ee|website=Riigikogu}}</ref> He has since left politics and now focuses on his real estate business and athletics school, with 450 students.<ref name="iltalehti"/>

His son Robin Nool (born in 1998) competed in [[pole vault]] with a record of 5.40&nbsp;m.<ref name="iltalehti"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Robin Nool |url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/estonia/robin-nool-14662809 |website=World Athletics |access-date=25 January 2022}}</ref>

==Achievements==
{| {{AchievementTable|width=auto|Event=yes|Result=yes|NotesOff=yes}}
|-
! colspan="6" | Representing {{EST}}
|-
| 1992
| [[1992 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
| [[Barcelona]], Spain
| —
| Decathlon
| [[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|DNF]]
|-
| 1994
| [[1994 European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]
| [[Helsinki]], Finland
| align="center" | 10th
| Decathlon
| [[1994 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|7953 pts]]
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1995
| [[1995 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
| [[Gothenburg]], Sweden
| align="center" | 4th
| Decathlon
| [[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's decathlon|8268 pts]]
|-
| [[1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| [[Barcelona]], Spain
| align="center" | 7th
| Heptathlon
| [[1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|5887 pts]]
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1996
| [[1996 European Indoor Championships in Athletics|European Indoor Championships]]
| [[Stockholm]], Sweden
| align="center" bgcolor=gold | 1st
| Heptathlon
| [[1996 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|6188 pts]]
|-
| [[1996 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
| [[Atlanta]], United States
| align="center" | 6th
| Decathlon
| [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|8543 pts]]
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1997
| [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
| [[Athens]], Greece
| align="center" | 6th
| Decathlon
| [[1997 World Championships in Athletics – Men's decathlon|8413 pts]]
|-
| [[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| [[Paris]], France
| align="center" bgcolor=silver | 2nd
| Heptathlon
| [[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|6213 pts]]
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1998
| [[1998 European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]
| [[Budapest]], Hungary
| align="center" bgcolor=gold | 1st
| Decathlon
| [[1998 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|8667 pts]]
|-
| [[IAAF World Combined Events Challenge]]
|
| align="center" bgcolor=gold | 1st
| Decathlon
| 25,967 pts
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1999
| [[1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| [[Maebashi]], Japan
| align="center" bgcolor=silver | 2nd
| Heptathlon
| [[1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|6374 pts]]
|-
| [[1999 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
| [[Seville]], Spain
| align="center" | 14th
| Decathlon
| [[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Men's decathlon|7568 pts]]
|-
| rowspan=3 | 2000
| [[2000 European Indoor Athletics Championships|European Indoor Championships]]
| [[Ghent]], Belgium
| align="center" bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd
| Heptathlon
| [[2000 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|6200 pts]]
|-
| [[2000 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
| [[Sydney]], Australia
| align="center" bgcolor=gold | 1st
| Decathlon
| [[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|8641 pts]]
|-
| [[IAAF World Combined Events Challenge]]
|
| align="center" bgcolor=gold | 1st
| Decathlon
| 26,089 pts
|-
| rowspan=4 | 2001
| [[2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| [[Lisbon]], Portugal
| align="center" | 5th
| Heptathlon
| [[2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|6074 pts]]
|-
| [[2001 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
| [[Edmonton]], Canada
| align="center" bgcolor=silver | 2nd
| Decathlon
| [[2001 World Championships in Athletics – Men's decathlon|8815 pts]]
|-
| [[IAAF World Combined Events Challenge]]
|
| align="center" bgcolor=silver | 2nd
| Decathlon
| 25,839 pts
|-
| [[2001 Goodwill Games|Goodwill Games]]
| [[Brisbane]], Australia
| bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd
| Decathlon
| [[Athletics at the 2001 Goodwill Games|8323 pts]]
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2002
| [[2002 European Indoor Athletics Championships|European Indoor Championships]]
| [[Vienna]], Austria
| align="center" bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd
| Heptathlon
| [[2002 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|6084 pts]]
|-
| [[2002 European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]
| [[Munich]], Germany
| align="center" bgcolor=silver | 2nd
| Decathlon
| [[2002 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|8438 pts]]
|-
| 2003
| [[2003 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
| [[Paris]], France
| —
| Decathlon
| [[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Men's decathlon|DNF]]
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2004
| [[2004 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
| [[Athens]], Greece
| align="center" | 8th
| Decathlon
| [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|8235 pts]]
|-
| [[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| [[Budapest]], Hungary
| align="center" | 5th
| Heptathlon
| [[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|6093 pts]]
|-
| 2005
| [[2005 European Indoor Athletics Championships|European Indoor Championships]]
| [[Madrid]], Spain
| align="center" | 12th
| Heptathlon
| [[2005 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Men's heptathlon|5712 pts]]
|}

==Personal bests==
Information from [[World Athletics]] profile unless otherwise noted.

{{updated|May 26, 2024}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Event
! Performance
! Location
! Date
! Points
|-
| Decathlon|| align=right | 8,815 points|| align=center | [[Commonwealth Stadium|Edmonton]] || align=right | August 7, 2001 || align=right |8,815 points
|-
| [[100 meters]]|| align=right | 10.34 (+3.2&nbsp;m/s) {{AthAbbr|w}} || align=center | [[Haapsalu]] || align=right | August 16, 1997 || align=right |1,013 points
|-
| [[Long jump]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|8.22}} (+3.0&nbsp;m/s) {{AthAbbr|w}} || align=center | [[Tallinn]] || align=right | June 15, 1996 || align=right |1,117 points
|-
| [[Shot put]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|15.11}} || align=center | [[Stadium Australia|Sydney]] || align=right | September 27, 2000 || align=right |796 points
|-
| [[High jump]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|2.05}} || align=center | [[Lipetsk]] || align=right | February 9, 1991 || align=right |850 points
|-
| [[400 meters]]|| align=right | 46.23|| align=center | [[Commonwealth Stadium|Edmonton]] || align=right | August 6, 2001 || align=right |997 points
|-
| [[110 meters hurdles]]|| align=right | 14.37 (-0.1&nbsp;m/s) || align=center | [[Götzis]] || align=right | June 4, 2000 || align=right |927 points
|-
| [[Discus throw]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|45.28}} || align=center | [[Arles]] || align=right | June 8, 2003 || align=right |773 points
|-
| [[Pole vault]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|5.60}} || align=center | [[Tallinn]] || align=right | July 5, 1998 || align=right |1100 points
|-
| [[Javelin throw]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|71.91}}|| align=center | [[New York City]] || align=right | July 20, 1998 || align=right |919 points
|-
| [[1500 meters]]|| align=right | 4:29.48 || align=center | [[Stadium Australia|Sydney]] || align=right | September 28, 2000 || align=right |748 points
|-
|colspan=4 align=right| '''Virtual Best Performance''' || align=right | 9,240 points
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IAAF name}}
* {{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/no/erki-nool-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417175014/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/no/erki-nool-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-04-17}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box
| title = [[Estonian Sportspersonality of the year|Estonian Sportsman of the Year]]
| before = [[Jüri Jaanson]]
| after = [[Andrus Veerpalu]]
| years = 1996–1998
}}
{{succession box
| title = [[Estonian Sportspersonality of the year|Estonian Sportsman of the Year]]
| before = [[Andrus Veerpalu]]
| after = [[Andrus Veerpalu]]
| years = 2000
}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Tõnu Tõniste]]
| title = [[List of flag bearers for Estonia at the Olympics|Flagbearer]] for {{EST}}
| years = [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]
| after = [[Martin Padar]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Decathlon}}
{{Footer European Champions Decathlon Men}}
{{Footer European Indoor Champions Heptathlon Men}}
{{Footer IAAF Combined Events Challenge Decathlon Champions}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nool, Erki}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Politicians from Võru County]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Võru]]
[[Category:Estonian decathletes]]
[[Category:Estonian sportsperson-politicians]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Estonia]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Estonia]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Isamaa politicians]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Estonia]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Members of the Riigikogu, 2007–2011]]
[[Category:Members of the Riigikogu, 2011–2015]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games]]